Luciano: A year of loss, love, hope, and goodwill

Saturday

Dec 28, 2013 at 2:00 PM

Phil Luciano Journal Star columnist @lucianophil

There was a lot of loss in central Illinois in 2013.

But 2013 also resounded with a remarkable spirit of perseverance and goodwill, in stories big and small. As 2014 brings new challenges, it's good to remember the power of hard work, light hearts and bold love.

January: In 2012, we first visited Kevin Harmon of Peoria, who pushed past quadriplegia to publish a book via voice-recognition software. Readers deluged the 44-year-old, along with his 81-year-old caretaker-father, with encouragement.

Then came part two of the story, in early January of this year. With father and son out of town to visit relatives for a few weeks, a group of pals sneaked into the aging Harmon home. With a lot of elbow grease, they rehabbed and remodeled much of the dwelling, to the great surprise and delight of the Harmons upon their return home.

In some ways, the friends got more out of the project than the Harmons. As one said, "Thankfully, I have witnessed — through this team's work — that the world is potentially filled with good yet silent individuals who, with the grace of God, continue to build a better world."

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February: The month brought a touch of sadness, with news of the death of Elza Moses of Tiskilwa at age 104. He left behind wife Vivian; she died last week.

Still, their passing gives us a chance to again to marvel at the amazing longevity of their marriage: 82 years — fifth longest in the world when Elza died. These days, many marriages don't last 82 weeks, let alone 82 years. That kind of love story doesn't come along very often.

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March: When Paul Putrich Jr. of Farmington died March 26, his family didn't seek sympathy. They wanted a fitting memorial for Putrich, 68, a fun-loving, happy-talking, back-slapping lover of life.

So, his put this request to his obit: "Instead of memorials, the family requests that you do something you've been putting off until tomorrow and do it today. Golf a round, fish your favorite lake or take a loved one out for a steak!"

As noted in a column that ran early the next month, many people took up that challenge. His widow said, "Paul just liked to see people smile."

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April: For her 40th birthday, Traci Sullivan of Morton was showered with cash and gifts — not for her, but strangers.

To mark the big 4-0, the Morton woman used Facebook to spearhead "Traci's Project 40!" Instead of getting presents, Sullivan decided to be a springtime Santa Claus, doling out surprises — big and small — throughout the community. With $1,300 in donations, their many deliveries included flowers to a nursing home, donuts at the police station and craft supplies for the Children's Hospital of Illinois

"It's just fun to give back," Sullivan said.

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May: Ever wonder about what to give a 100-year-old for her birthday?

J.R. Chance knew exactly what to do for his mom, Lavern Chance, as she hit the three-digit mark at Snyder Village retirement community in Metamora. He picked her up on his motorcycle for her first joyride in a decade. Accompanying them was a parade of 100-plus bikers.

A few days before, the Chances did a practice run. Lavern Chance pushed away her walker and oxygen tank to clamber atop her son's bike.

June: Peoria Stadium became a headline-grabber in May, when we first found out District 150 might sell it to Wal-Mart. But the issue percolated like lava into June and July.

The stadium's fate remains uncertain. But — from this view, at least — it was great to see a community get riled to such a widespread degree. Power to the people, indeed.

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July: Because of leukemia, Down syndrome and other difficulties, 13-year-old Willie VanDyke of Hanna City can't play contact sports. So, he served as bat boy for his brothers' 10-and-under team in the Kickapoo Valley League.

In the championship game, Hanna City was winning 7-2 against arch-rival Farmington. Before the game ended, Farmington graciously allowed Willie a turn at bat. He whacked an infield dribbler, which — because of some perfectly executed miscues and overthrows — became an inside-the-park home run. The crowd went crazy. So did Willie.

"This was the coolest act of sportsmanship I have ever witnessed in person," the league director said. "I think the coaches and kids should be commended. . . . That little boy will remember this for the rest of his life."

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August: A 60-year-old rural Peoria man returned from vacation to find part of his baseball-card collection missing. It felt as if someone had swiped his childhood.

In Peoria, a stay-at-home mom and her kids offered their collection, mostly of '90s cards. And a 39-year-old collector from Canton offered $3,000 worth of vintage cards.

The card-theft victim at first declined the gestures: he didn't want to take away anyone else's card. But I pressed him until he accepted a few.

"I never knew people were so nice in this world," he said.

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September: Readers rallied for justice.

Paul R. Phillips was up for parole in the 1976 murder of Brenda Kay Roberts, 21, of East Peoria. Tazewell County State's Attorney Stewart Umholtz didn't want to take any chances. So, he asked me to ask readers to urge the Illinois Prison Review Board to keep Phillips — a repeat sex offender before the slaying — locked up.

More than 100 letters poured in. Most were direct and simple, such as this typical sentiment: "The release of Paul Phillips would be devastating to our community." Umholtz shared letters with the parole board, which later unanimously denied Phillips' petition.

The victim's 82-year-old father thanked readers — not only for helping keep the killer imprisoned, but for showing that the community still cares about his daughter.

"It helped the whole family," her father said.

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October: In the end, what could've been a nasty neighborhood fight exploded into a nationwide spark of help for Habitat for Humanity.

A column the previous month detailed a petition drive protesting a home to be built by Habitat in a 60-year-old Morton subdivision. The online story went viral. Media nationwide picked it up. Fox News did a Sunday piece. The London Daily Mail ran the story on Page 1. Ellen DeGeneres blogged about it.

As it turned out, Habitat's Peoria office got inundated with offers of help from contractors, suppliers and individuals, offering money and help for not just that home, but others.

Army Sgt. Brian Wood, whose family is to live in that Morton house next year, marveled at the reach of the story: "We're no more special than any other family. We're just one family. This is a perfect example of God's work stirring hearts across a nation, helping people who need Habitat, across the country."

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November: It's impossible, in just a few words here, to sum up the shock of Nov. 17's tornadoes.

In this space, we've had the privilege of sharing all sorts of inspiring stories. The challenge is to keep pushing forward. Don't let Nov. 17 fade in memory until everyplace — Pekin, East Peoria, Washington and Woodford County — gets put back together.

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December: Every year, we could applaud Jimmy Binkley for his parties and visits with senior citizens.

But this year, he did something super-special. The good-natured piano man dared to share his frustration about people who won't visit loved ones in nursing homes.

"They just want someone to talk to them, about anything," Jimmy pleaded. "That's all they want."

I have no idea if Jimmy's plain talk sparked extra visits. But his words did prompt an overflow of gifts for his ensuing 20th annual Christmas Party for Seniors. That's a good sign, and a good start.

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No column this year triggered as much response as a Dec. 19 piece headlined, "Sacrifice Beyond Her Years."

It told the story of a 15-year-old Peoria girl who dropped out of school to take care of her dying mother. In days that followed, many readers dropped off gifts and donations, which I forwarded to the pair.

Since then, a fund — Sacrifice Beyond Her Years — has been established to help them. The mom's church is the administrator of the fund. Donations can be made via any CEFCU.

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PHIL LUCIANO is a Journal Star columnist. He can be reached at pluciano@pjstar.com, facebook.com/philluciano, 686-3155 or (800) 225- 5757, Ext. 3155. Follow him on Twitter @LucianoPhil.

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